superannuate

Meanings

1. 1
   verb

   to retire someone from service, often with a pension, because of age or infirmity

   The railway agreed to superannuate workers who could no longer perform heavy duties.

2. 2
   verb

   to make, declare, or become obsolete through age

   Digital records may superannuate the office's shelves of paper ledgers.

A back-formation from superannuated, built from Latin super, 'over or beyond,' + annus, 'year.' The original idea was being beyond the prescribed years of service; it broadened from retirement for age to anything made obsolete by age.

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